Pump



April 14, 1925.

E. A. CULBERTSON PUMP Filed Aug. 27, 1923 a 1 E WN... m

n UM Cit Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES EDWARD A. CULBERTSON, OF WICHITA, KANSAS.

PUMP.

Application filed August 27, 1h23.` Serial No. 659,512.

To @ZZ whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. CommersoN, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Wfichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Pumps, ot'

which the following 4is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a certain type of pump previously invented by me, the fundamental principles of which are claimed in Letters Patent #1,433,677 issued to me October 31, 1922. But the improvements to be set forth in this specification are not exclusively limited to this type of pump, and may be applicable torpumps of other types.

One object of my invention is to provide suitable packing between the reciprocating plunger and the working barrel in a pump especially adapted to use in deep oil wells so as to prevent loss of ei'llciency due to leakage of the fluid past the plunger.

Another object of my invention is to devise a more eiiective type of plunger for a pump of the kind just mentioned.

A further object is to provide means oi' getting rid of sand or other foreign matter that might damage the plunger and its packing.

Still another object is to provide an improved release valve, designed to operate inside of a complete enclosure or housing, with seat set in a plug which is perforated and used for a screen.

in additional object is to provide below the standing or foot valve, and in conjunction therewith, a gas anchor or trap to prevent the entrance of gas into the working barrel ci' the pump. l

The manner in which these various objects are attained will become clear during the following exposition of my invention which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional elevation of the lower half of my improved pump, along the axis of the same.

Figure 2 is a similar lsectional elevation of the upper half of the pump.

Figure 3 is a. detail sectional view of the pump wall and working barrel at the upper set of packing rings.

Figure 4 is a detail exterior view of the lower end of the upper thimble of the working barrel together with the adjacent packing ring cups, with the sleeve which encloses them both in section, showing the weep grooves and holes for the elimination of sand. y Y

In the drawings, which show the preerredfform of my invention, 1 is a pump rod actuated from thesurface of the ground by any suitable power system. This pump rod is fastened at 2 to a valve cage 3, -having ports 4.-, and containing a ballk valve 5 which is shown in closed'position resting upon the valveseat 6. `This valve seat. is a separate member which is clamped between the valve cage 3 and the hollow plunger 7 at the point where the twoare joined together by a threaded connection. The valve is so designed as to open on the downward stroke oi-the pump rod and plunger, land close on the upward stroke.

rlhe plungerf reciprooates within a workingbarrel 8, which is made up of the sleeves 9,' 10, and 11 which: are threaded together at 12 and 13, as seen m Figure 2. It will be noted that the sleeve 10 is of greater diameter than sleeves 9 and l1, and that the l latter sleeves are threaded inside of thc former. Between the bottom of sleeve 9 and the top'of sleevell, therefore, there is a considerable 'amount Qfannular space between the inner surface of Vsleeve 10 and the outer surface of the plunger 7.

ln this'space l.V insertpacking rings 14,V mounted in cups 15, as can be yseen to best advantage in Figure 3. There are three sets of packing rings, three rings in eachset, 'each ring mounted in 4its own separate cup Yor housing, as shownin Figure 2. The three set-s ofrpacking Vrings are separated from eachother by the inner sleeves 16 and 17. Theseinner sleeves together with the packing rings and their cups fill up the annular space previously mentioned between plunger 7 and sleeve 10.' `And the Aentire ensemble of .parts 9,-17 constitutes the working barrel 8. 1

The arrangement just'described is the one which I prefer, but it is capable of variation. For inst-ance, the number of packing rings in each set may be either increased or diminished. There may be two sets oi'rings or there may be four, with one innersleeve or three, asy the case may be., `Or ythe inner sleeves may be entirely dispensed with and the whole yannular space between the plunger and the outer sleeve may be lled with the pac ing rings and their cups.

A further word of explanation may be llU ary working barrel.

' cape ofthe fiuid when the given here ing rings, featuresv of my invention. are usually mounted in ygrooves upon the outer surface 'of al pist-on or plunger. rIhey function by expanding sowas to engage the smooth inner wall ofthe cylinder orbarrel and thus prevent the esca-pe of gas or fluid past the piston or plunger. The packing which is 'described and illustrated in this specification, however, voperates in exactly the reverse manner. The rings 14', instead of being mounted upon the mevingplunger, are mounted inthe innerl Wall 'of the stati-onvTheyr function, not* by expanding, but by contracting so that their inner surface engagesfthe smooth outer sur-V face ofthe plunger, thus preventingl the fesplunger is being 'the containsince this is one of the principal raised.l `The circumference of ing wall of the circumference of the outer wall of the rings 14 in Aorder to give' proper clear-ance to the rings when. .the pump is operating.y The Ycontaining wall of the cups determines lthe limit beyond which the rings cannot be eX- panded, and'V may also serve to 'reinforce the rings. f

InFigure 2 it will noted thatthe lower endlS of the ,plun-ger7l is tapered so that it will readily enter the rings and rspread them out when the `plunger is inserted into the working -barrel of the pump. After :the plunger is inserted,'however, it is of such a "the packin'g'rings areso posilengt'li, and tioned in the wort-ing barrel, thatduring actual operation of the fpump the lower end of the plunger is Ynever raised above the rings, ,evenat the highest pointofthe stroke;

- the vrines are alwa 7's in enoavement with the a; b s y plunger.

'There are a number of advantages inthe use of the new, improved packing'just gdescribed. Where packing of the usual type is used it is with' some difficulty thatl the piston or plunger'is inserted into the cyllin- Jsind when 'the pisder vor working barrel.

. ton or plunger is removed the tendency of CII vexpansion of a ring the rings is to spring open .so thatfurther diflicultyfis encountered when Athe "piston or plunger is again inserted. `All this difficulty I have eliminated. My packing rings 'act by, contract-ion instead of expansion; and there isafiXed limit beyond which thrsfcontraction 'cannot' go, 1. le., 'at lthejpoint where the open ends of ,the .ring engage each other.

HoweverV great the pressure, the ring cannot contract v'beyond this point without buckling; whereas there Iis vlio-limit to the ofthe expansible type. It is easy therefore so to construct the new ring that, at its extreme point of contraction, it still fit-s snugly in its kcup and its di ameter is great'enough 'to permit the ready vinsertion of the tapered end 18k ofthe pluna's to the operation of the pack- Packing rings cups '15 is greater than the Y v the pump.

Thus it is app arent that the plunger can be entirely removed from the pump', if occasion demand, and replaced a-t will without the slightest difficulty, and without in any way lowering the efficiency of the packing.

ger.

A further advantage is seen in the ease with which the pump may be assembled. Sleeves 9 yand 10 'having been threaded to'-V gether and then placed in an inverted position, three packing rings may be droppedl each Vfinto an enclosing cup, and the cups then dropped into position within the sleeve 10. Inner sleeve i6 may then be dropped into position, followed by three more rings and cups, then inner set of rings andcups in' like manner. Sleeve 1l is 'then screwed into the end of sleeve lO and the working barrel is complete, ready for the insertion of the plunger. To any one who is familiar with the difficulties attending thefassembling of a pump or motor with the old type of packing, the simplicity of this 'process #will be apparent.

The principal advantage of the improved packing, however, lies .not in'its easeV of .assembling, but in the 'greater eiiiciency with which it functions in the actual operation of A pump used in deep oil wells needs to have heavy duty packing which can stand a great deal of rough usage andthe wear and tear of abrasive foreign matter,

such as sand, which gets .into the working parte. My invention meets this need.

In Figures 2, 3, and 4C may be seen the weep holes 19 for the elimination of sand or other foreign material which may 'get in between the plunger and the working barrel. This feature of my invention is best understood 'by studying Eigure if which shows the lower end of 'sleeve 9 in elevatiomand the upper part of sleeve in section. The-cups l5 are valso shown in elevation in their position immediately below sleeve Here it is seenthat there rare apertures 20 in sleeve .9 discharging into an Vannular grooveQl which in turn discharges into apertures 19in-sleeve i0. On the vdown stroke ,of the. Aplunger there is a steady iiow of `the fluid outwardly through these apertures which will flush out any sand or 'grit which 'might otherwise get into the packing rings.

All the parts thus far described are enclosed within an outer casing,^ivhich consists of vwell tubing 22 and the pipe23- yThe latter is of greater `diameter than the former since it must be roomy Aenough, to fhouse the working barrel and 'also provide an vannular chamber 2e koutside the working ,barrel for the upward Vpassage'of the fiuid, as will be explainedvpresently. The pipe 23 is sweeged Vdown at its upper end 25 and threaded von the inside where it is fastened tol the well tubing 22 which extends' upward to the surface of the ground, to carry the pumped fluid.

sleeve 17 and the last Q In order that the plunger and working barrel may be held rigidly in their proper position inside the outer casing, an annular casting 26 is fastened at the top of the working barrel and engages the inner surface of the pipe 23. rlhis casting is provided with suitable vert-ical apertures so as not to intertere with the upward iow of the fluid.

Sleeve ll, which comprises t-he lower part of the working' barrel, is fastened at its lower extremity by the threaded connection 27 to the longitudinal passage casting 28, which in turn is fastened to pipe 23 at 29. Casting 28 is also fastened at 30 to pipe 31, which is of Jrhe same diameter as pipe 23.

Longitudinal passage casting 28 is provided with two longitudinal passages, 32 which leads up into the working barrel 8, and 33 which leads up into the annular chamber 24 surrounding the working barrel.

Passage 32 is always open at both ends soV that fluid may flow through it in either direction. Passage 33, however, is controlled by a secondary valve 34 which comprises a housing 35 which is fastened at 36 to the longitudinal passage casting 28, and a ball valve 37. At the bottom of the ball cage or housing 35 is fastened a perforated casting 38 which acts as a strainer, and between them is clamped in position the valve seat 39. The movement of the ball is controlled by the inwardly projecting walls 40. The ball cage is completely enclosed. lnstead of the open ports usually provided for the escape of fluid from the ball cage (see in Figure 2) there are deep grooves 4l between the inwardly. projecting walls 40 through which fluid makes its way up into the longitudinal passage At the lower end of the pipe 3l is fastened the foot casting` 42. lThe foot casting supports the feet valve 43 which is substantially the same as the plunger valve 3 already described. To the lower end of the foot casting is fastened the pipe 44 which extends down into the liuid. vWithin the foot casting the gas anchor 45 is fastened at 4G. Between the gas anchor and the pipe 44 is an annular chamber 47 which acts as a gas trap. The gas anchor extends down the fluid filling the hollow plunger and rushing through the valve into the well tubing 22. Ordinarily, the down stroke of the plunger would be slow on account of the resistance of the fluid, and effort to -hasten it would be liable to cause the rod 1 to buckle. But this disadvantage is obviated in my invention. As soon as the downward stroke begins, secondary valve 37 opens simultaneously with the plunger valve. The

Gn the upward stroke of` pressure of the plunger upon the imprisoned liuid forces it up through the secondary valve into longitudinal passage 33, thence through port 49 into the annular chamber 24 through which it passes upward into the well tubingV 22. Thus -it will be seen that in my invention the fluid is pumpedupward on the down stroke of the plunger as well as on the up stroke. I i

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is he combination in a pump of a hollow plunger, a sectional plunger barrel composed of a series of connected sleeves, a plurality of series of packing ringsV disposed between the plunger and one of the barrel sleeves, an inner sleeve or spacer interposed between each series of packing rings, one'V of the barrel sleeves provided with an outwardly opening annular groove and having a series of radial openings leading from said Vgroove to the outer surface of the plunger barrel, and a series of Vradial openings in the barrel sleeve adiacent to the sleeve carrying the annular groove and in combination therewith.

EDWARD A. GULBERTSON. 

